Cutosea

Cutosea () is a small group of marine amoeboid protists proposed in 2016. It is a monotypic class of Amoebozoa containing the order Squamocutida (). Cutosean organisms are characterized by a cell coat of microscales separated from the cell membrane. Four genera, Armaparvus, Idionectes, Sapocribrum and Squamamoeba, belong to this group, distributed in three families.

== Characteristics == The cells of cutosean amoebae are surrounded by a continuous thin, somewhat flexible envelope, unique in structure because it is not attached to the cytoplasmic membrane. Below this envelope, they present oval microscales surrounded by a dense matrix. The small scales are not visible under a light microscope. The envelope is penetrated by one or many small pores, which allow subpseudopodia to occasionally protrude from the cell membrane, for a very slow locomotion. Locomoting cells are flattened, oval or round in shape. All of their cells lack cilia or centrosomes, except for the uniciliate swarm cells of the amoeboflagellate Idionectes.